How do I properly use DLC Merger and install mods?

[DKDark_Wolf]

Hello everyone,

Apologies in advance if this is a redundant post, I'm bad at using forums and have not really modded any games before. So I'm a little slow on the uptake.

I want to install the Unfinished Business Mod so that I can play all that unfinished and left out content. I looked it up on youtube and saw that one needs to have DLC Merger installed if they wish to mod their BG:EE+SoD.

I downloaded the win zip and extracted the DLC Merger into the steam/steamapp/common/BGEE folder. Ran it, and created the Workshop folder it the file mod (comes up as a VLC file on my comp?).

I then extracted the BG1UB into the Workshop folder but it didn't run. ("no game directory")
So then I took it out of the Workshop folder and just tried running it in the general game folder. It ran, but when it came to actually installing the components, the first one being the Ice Island Two Restoration, it gives me ":ERROR: Failure (DLC Merger is required)" so I do not know what to do.

This is my first time attempting to do this and I have no idea how to proceed.

Your help would be appreciated.

[robomagon]

I'm assuming you have BGEE and SoD on Steam. If that's the case just use modmerge instead of the DLC merger. Just put it in the main BGEE folder and run it. Then run the UB setup in the game folder as well.

[necaradan666]

https://github.com/ScottBrooks/modmerge/releases

Copy your entire bgee folder to retain a fresh unmodded version.

extract modmerge to your copy of bgee folder and execute program, should open a command window, takes a few seconds. and done. You're ready to install mods

[Leeux]

Remember that if you have the game installed in Program files you'll *need* to run the installers as admin.

[DKDark_Wolf]

Thanks gang, I actually uninstalled the game, after backing up my Saves, and then re-ran DLC Merger, went with the recommended "create workshop folder" option and named it "sod-dlc" and then ran the bg1ub and installed it one by one.

It all appeared to run smoothly and successfully installed. However, to test it I ran back the the Friendly Arm Inn in both my Chapter 4 save and my Chapter 2 save, and in neither did he appear. (Unless he doesn't appear by the entrance, path toward the Inn, or inside the Inn itself. Is that not the chapters it would normally happen? Let's hope it worked!!

[necaradan666]

You generally have to start new games for mods to work, iirc locations you've already visited are saved in your save data, so files changed by mods won't show up in this case.

[DKDark_Wolf]

Originally posted by necaradan666:

You generally have to start new games for mods to work, iirc locations you've already visited are saved in your save data, so files changed by mods won't show up in this case.

Wait .... Are you telling me I have to start all over from the beginning again to get my Unfinished Business content?

[robomagon]

Originally posted by DKDark_Wolf:

Originally posted by necaradan666:

You generally have to start new games for mods to work, iirc locations you've already visited are saved in your save data, so files changed by mods won't show up in this case.

Wait .... Are you telling me I have to start all over from the beginning again to get my Unfinished Business content?

On the plus side, if you export your character and then import them when you start over, you'll still have all your items and levels (and NPCs will also be higher level when they join you). So it'll be a lot quicker to get back to where you were. Remember to take all the best items from your NPCs and put them in your main PC's inventory before you export.

[DKDark_Wolf]

Originally posted by robomagon:

Originally posted by DKDark_Wolf:

Wait .... Are you telling me I have to start all over from the beginning again to get my Unfinished Business content?

On the plus side, if you export your character and then import them when you start over, you'll still have all your items and levels (and NPCs will also be higher level when they join you). So it'll be a lot quicker to get back to where you were. Remember to take all the best items from your NPCs and put them in your main PC's inventory before you export.

Goooooodsdamn it, well at least I only got to Nashkel, but still ugh

[DKDark_Wolf]

But if that is what must be done so it shall be. Should I make sure I download all the mods I want before starting from the beginning again?

[robomagon]

Originally posted by DKDark_Wolf:

But if that is what must be done so it shall be. Should I make sure I download all the mods I want before starting from the beginning again?

Definitely. Never change mods once you've already started a game.

If you only just got the Nashkel then unless you did a ton of wandering then you're very, very early in the game.

I'd make sure to install some of the convenience options from the CDTweaks mod, too.

[DKDark_Wolf]

Originally posted by robomagon:

Originally posted by DKDark_Wolf:

But if that is what must be done so it shall be. Should I make sure I download all the mods I want before starting from the beginning again?

Definitely. Never change mods once you've already started a game.

If you only just got the Nashkel then unless you did a ton of wandering then you're very, very early in the game.

I'd make sure to install some of the convenience options from the CDTweaks mod, too.

Anything else you'd recommend? Unfinished Business was why I did all this but if I have to restart might as well go all the way.

And yeah, I did get to the second level of the mines, but I did do some good 'splorin

[DKDark_Wolf]

I know of this thread on the Beamdog forums, but any personal recs would be good too as that is a lot. Am in the process of doing Sword Coast Stratagems

[DKDark_Wolf]

Also, if one has to start a new game each time they add a mod how do people go about updating their mods? Don't they have to uninstall and reinstall the mods each time?

[greennus]

If you want more banter you could give BG1 NPC Project a try https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/npcs/bg1npc/

Sword Coast Stratagems (SCS) installs it own game difficulty slider (replaces the one that comes with the game) and makes fights harder with upgraded enemy AI. As an example SCS makes some changes to the final fight of BG1. https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/tweaks/scs/

Portraits Portraits Everywhere improves the immersion of the game by adding portraits to all the random peasants, minor NPCs , etc. Love it.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/61015/mod-portraits-portraits-everywhere-for-bg1ee-sod-bg2ee-iwdee-eet

GUI MOD - Reveal Hidden Gameplay Options adds new settings to game menus. Highlights being Enable Debug Console and Show Area of Effect Range. As an example with turning on Debug Console from the settings you can use the console without editing the files yourself. The best and time saver being Ctrl + J to teleport. It moves your party to mouse cursor's location.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/64524/mod-reveal-hidden-gameplay-options-for-all-ee-games-patched-to-v2-0-or-higher

Then there of course tweak mods such as The Tweaks Anthology if you want to have mixed alignment party without worrying evil party members leaving (Happy Patch) or sacrificing innocents now and then... Or maybe to increase stack size for arrows.
https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/tweaks/tweaks/

If you want to improve inventory management aTweaks has useful feature of 'Slightly expanded storage capacity for containers' where you make all containers to hold more items. There is only one of each containers in BGEE (no bag of holding, ammo belt, key ring or wand case (last one from mod only)
http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/709-atweaks-windows-version/

If you want wand case. Grab EEt tweaks or wand case mod from beamdog forum (both created by same person, Mortianna)
https://www.gibberlings3.net/forums/forum/196-eet-tweaks/
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/22472/item-mod-wand-case

One possible install order
Portraits Portraits Everywhere
GUI MOD - Reveal Hidden Gameplay Options
BG1 NPC Project
BG1 Unfinished Business
EEt tweaks or wand case
The Tweaks Anthology
Sword Coast Stratagems
aTweaks

[DKDark_Wolf]

Originally posted by greennus:

If you want more banter you could give BG1 NPC Project a try https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/npcs/bg1npc/

Sword Coast Stratagems (SCS) installs it own game difficulty slider (replaces the one that comes with the game) and makes fights harder with upgraded enemy AI. As an example SCS makes some changes to the final fight of BG1. https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/tweaks/scs/

Portraits Portraits Everywhere improves the immersion of the game by adding portraits to all the random peasants, minor NPCs , etc. Love it.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/61015/mod-portraits-portraits-everywhere-for-bg1ee-sod-bg2ee-iwdee-eet

GUI MOD - Reveal Hidden Gameplay Options adds new settings to game menus. Highlights being Enable Debug Console and Show Area of Effect Range. As an example with turning on Debug Console from the settings you can use the console without editing the files yourself. The best and time saver being Ctrl + J to teleport. It moves your party to mouse cursor's location.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/64524/mod-reveal-hidden-gameplay-options-for-all-ee-games-patched-to-v2-0-or-higher

Then there of course tweak mods such as The Tweaks Anthology if you want to have mixed alignment party without worrying evil party members leaving (Happy Patch) or sacrificing innocents now and then... Or maybe to increase stack size for arrows.
https://www.gibberlings3.net/mods/tweaks/tweaks/

If you want to improve inventory management aTweaks has useful feature of 'Slightly expanded storage capacity for containers' where you make all containers to hold more items. There is only one of each containers in BGEE (no bag of holding, ammo belt, key ring or wand case (last one from mod only)
http://www.shsforums.net/files/file/709-atweaks-windows-version/

If you want wand case. Grab EEt tweaks or wand case mod from beamdog forum (both created by same person, Mortianna)
https://www.gibberlings3.net/forums/forum/196-eet-tweaks/
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/22472/item-mod-wand-case

One possible install order
Portraits Portraits Everywhere
GUI MOD - Reveal Hidden Gameplay Options
BG1 NPC Project
BG1 Unfinished Business
EEt tweaks or wand case
The Tweaks Anthology
Sword Coast Stratagems
aTweaks

Amazing, thank you!

I actually just finished installing the SCS components I found interesting, but I see that went against your recommended installation order. Should I uninstall and start again?

Also, upon finishing the SCS installation, I tried running the game and loaded up my last save (2nd floor or Nashkel Mines) and immediately the level balancing for Imoen and Dynaheir took effect (them leveling and catching up to my PC). The difficulty sliders were all available as well!

Does this mean that I do not need to start a new game after all? (Though I am tempted to do so just to have more control over Imoen's Thief abilities (so I can multiclass her easier and not have to wait till Thief level 5/6.)

Also, any good fan made DLC mods that are worth getting?

P.S.: here is the beamdog forum link I forgot to post last time:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/50340/bg-ee-2-0-and-siege-of-dragonspear-compatible-mods/p1